Cd/dvd drive doesn't work

It appears that the connector between the drive and the computer is broken (where it connects to the drive no longer is attached to the connector, i.e., the plastic end is no longer part of the film like connector). I believe for some reason the drive came out past the stop and pulled the connector apart. Can the connector be replaced or do I need to get a whole new drive? How do I remove the other end from the comuter? I am no longer in warranty.

Problem is beyond those sites. Dell was not helpful with a solution because it is just out of warranty. They want to sell me a whole new drive when what is broken is the connection between the drive and laptop (Dell doesn't carry replacement part).Problem is beyond those sites. Dell was not helpful with a solution because it is just out of warranty. They want to sell me a whole new drive when what is broken is the connection between the drive and laptop (Dell doesn't carry replacement part).

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Look inside of your tower, you will have a few different cords connecting to your DVD/CD drive.

It should either have a 4 pin Molex connector and an IDE or a Sata connector and power.

The IDE cable looks like this:http://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/officedepot/311075_vw_etz00_10055684?$OD%2DLarge$

The Molex connector looks like this:http://assets.hardwarezone.com/2009/img/data/articles/2004/1215/tutorial-4pin_molex_power_conn.jpg

IDE is an older tech that uses a 4 pin molex to connect it.

Now, if you have something that looks like this:http://www.sierra-cables.com/Cables/images/SATA-Signal-Cable-1.jpg

It uses Sata, and the power cable looks like it as well, it's just longer.

To make sure the DVD drive you're working will work with the current DVD/CD's you have, just look on the front of the CD you are going to use, in truth it usually should work with anything. It's even RW so you can re-write data to RW CD/DVD types.

Pretty much, just make sure that it uses the same power type and data connector as your current one. Power type being the 4pin molex or the Sata power plug. Data type being the IDE cable or the Sata cable.

If your CD / DVD is powered on Ok then you are missing the data cable connection which will be either a SATA (small connector) or IDE (much larger connector) both of which plug in to your motherboard....Look at the CD / DVD and try to identify which type of connector you are missing then look for an unconnected cable of the same type within your case.

Install the software first, then connect the usb and power cables, then turn on the unit.Here is a section of the installation manual :

Software Installation1. Do not connect this device to computer yet.2. Insert the utility CD into computer's optical drive, and then the installation window shouldautomatically appear on the screen. If the installation window doesn't show up, go to "MyComputer" and browse the CD. By executing the "index.html" file, the installation windowwill appear.3. Click on "Private Folder Manager"/ "Playlist Manager", and then follow the on screeninstructions for installation.4. After the software had been successfully installed, see [Connecting to USB] for cableconnection.Connecting to USB1. Connect the plug of AC adapter to the connector marked "DC IN", plug the other end intoan electric outlet.2. Connect the USB cable to the USB connector. Then connect the other plug to computer'sUSB port.3. Press the Power switch and then the blue LED will light up.4. The computer will detect this device and you can start accessing the drive.

Unplug the power cable from your power supply and open up your computerDon't forget to wear your antistatic wrist band.Determine which drive bay you are going to install a CD-ROM into. You should pick on of the uppermost drive bays.Before you install a CD-ROM, make sure you have the proper jumper settings. Since we are only installing a single CD-ROM, set the jumpers as MASTER. The jumper settings are different for each CD-ROM drive, so consult your owner's manual so you know which pins to cover up.Once you have the jumpers set, install your CD-ROM in the computer's case. How you secure the CD-ROM in one of the uppermost drive bays depends on your case. Some CD-ROM drives have to be screwed into the drive bay, while other cases come with brackets (like mine) to attach to the CD-ROM drive so that it slides into the drive bay and locks in place.

Connect the power to the back of the CD-ROM drive, then connect the ribbon cable to the back of the CD-ROM drive. Your ribbon cable has three connectors, one in the middle and one on each end. The middle connector is a "SLAVE" connector that is used if you would install an additional CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. Connect one of the end connectors to the CD-ROM drive, and connect the other end connector to the appropriate spot on your motherboard. Note, hard drives and CD-ROM drives have the same style of connector on the motherboard. You want to connect your CD-ROM drive to the motherboard slot that isn't red or is the highest numbered of all the IDE slots.

Power on your computer after you plug it in. Your computer should recognize the new CD-ROM. If it doesn't, Click start control panel administrive tools,computer management,device manager scroll down cd-dvd rom drives you might see a yellow question mark ? right click to update driver,roll back driver,or select properties general troubleshoot, select driver click to reinstall drivers click update driver Hope this helps

Try a different CD. iIf the computer doesn't recognize it at all, listen for the drive to spin and look for a blinking light on the CD tray. These signs do not necessarily mean the CD drive isn't broken. I would find the model number of your laptop and do a search on eBay for a replacement CD drive. These are very easy to switch out. If the new one works, then you're set. If it doesn't work, there may be an issue with your motherboard.

When purchasing a new drive be sure to understand the many formats available: DVD, DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW are a few for example. More recent technologies include DVD-DL, HD DVD and Blu-Ray Disc. A decent DVD drive should be able to read and write both "+" and "-" technologies and also support recordable (R) and re-writable (RW) technology. Essentially look for a DVD+/-RW drive if you plan on recording DVD's, or just a plain DVD drive for reading DVD's (movies, games, etc). There are a variety of speeds from 2x-16x for a wide spectrum of users and needs; higher speeds will record faster.

If you have a USB connection on your computer you can use an external drive. The advantage to an exterior drive is that you can use it on other computers as well.

To install an external DVD, just follow the instructions provided with the drive.

To install an internal DVD drive:

Look for a DVD with the letters RW on the box. This is so you can read disks and record them as well. Make sure the speed rating is 16X and that the DVD is dual layer so that it takes care of the latest technology.

Read the instructions that come with the DVD. It may require you to load the provided CD software before installing the DVD player. Leave the disk in your CD ROM player for the rest of the procedure.

Disconnect the power cord from the back of the computer (goes to the wall socket of your house.)

Open the case of the computer.

Locate the hard disk or CD drive. Most have two connections and can only be snapped in place one way. One connection is for data and one for power.

Check to see if your computer mounts the DVD/CD ROM drives from the inside or if they are pushed through the front panel (you may have to remove the plastic panel on some models.)

Carefully remove the plastic “knock-off?? cover on the outside of your computer. Make sure you do this only when you are ready to install the DVD drive.

Slide the DVD drive into an empty compartment or bay. If it’s an older computer you can secure it with screws that come with the DVD drive. Many newer computers have spring clips to secure the drive in place.

Connect the DVD drive to the data cable. The data cable is wide like a ribbon and is also called a ribbon cable and has a red stripe on one side. There are two or three connectors on the data cable. One is connected to the circuit board, one is connected to your CD drive or hard disk and one in the middle (optional third connector) is usually not connected to anything. Use the middle connector for the DVD drive. If your data cable only has two connectors replace it with the one that is generally included with the new drive.

Hook the DVD to the power connector. This is a normal round looking cable. There are usually several power connectors in the computer.

If you don’t have an available power connector, then you can buy a “Y?? connector to hook up to the existing power cable. Unhook the power connector and hook it to one side of the “Y?? and hook the DVD to the other side of the “Y??.

Re-assemble the cover and plug the computer back in.

When you run Windows up it should look for the drivers for the new DVD player and automatically locate and load them from the CD ROM that you left in the CD player from the first step.

Check the drive cables
Perform the steps in this section to check the drive cabling:
WARNING:
The edges of metal panels can cut skin. Be careful not to slide skin along any interior metal edge of the computer.
CAUTION:
This product contains components that can be damaged by electrostatic discharge (ESD). To reduce the chance of ESD damage, work over a non-carpeted floor, use a static dissipative work surface (like a conductive foam pad), and wear an ESD wrist strap connected to a grounded surface.

Turn off the computer, unplug all cords from the computer, and then press the Power button on the front of the PC for five seconds.

Remove the side panel.
Figure 4: Removing the side panel

Gently remove both the data cable and the power cable from the back of the CD drive.
Figure 5: Ribbon and power cable

Reinsert the power and data cables into the back of the drive making sure the cables fit snugly into their connectors and making sure there are no bent pins.

Gently remove and reinsert the CD drive data cable from the connector on the motherboard. Be very careful to not dislodge other cables.
NOTE:
If the CD/DVD drive is not original equipment and was recently added, make sure that the drive cable is installed correctly:

Make sure that ribbon cable from the drive connects to the proper IDE location on the motherboard (usually the secondary IDE connector).

Replace the cover and plug in the power, keyboard, mouse, and video cables.
Figure 8: Replacing the side panel

Turn on the computer. When the first logo screen opens, press the F10 key repeatedly until the BIOS Setup screen appears.

Press F5 , and then press the Enter key to reset the BIOS to the defaults. Setup Defaults can also be found on the EXIT screen of the BIOS Setup Utility.

Use the Left and Right Arrow keys to select Main .

The hardware-identifying name should appear next to one of the channel listings.
Figure 9: Example of CD/DVD drive listing in BIOS
Do one of the following actions depending on what is listed in the BIOS:

If the drive name appears , the drive is recognized by the BIOS and should also be recognized by Windows. Press F10 to exit the BIOS and let the computer start into Windows.

Assuming you have tried various DVD's & CD's sounds like a bad CD/DVD drive. These use a lens mounted on a moveable mount to focus the laser beam and over time the mount gets worn out and the beam can no longer focus so the drive can no longer read the DVD/CD. Should hear the DVD speed up then slow down and maybe a loud vibrating noise (Lens trying to focus). Can try a laser lens cleaner - you can get them at Best Buy, but if that does not work then a new DVD drive is in order. If you can change it yourself then you might find one on ebay used for @$25 otherwise a trip to the computer repair shop.